On Saturday all roads led to Miranda – well for some of our Nowra athletes and family members it did – for the Waratah Series Relays and NSW State Cross Country Relay Championships. It was the 28th NSW Cross Country Relay Championships; the first was held in 1991 at Nowra before moving to the current location at Miranda.
Nowra fielded just 5 junior teams this year with many of our runners competing in older age groups in order to make up the teams. They all pulled together to support each other and perform their best.
In the Under 14 boys team Will Dyball, Harrison Baxter, Cameron Baxter and Lucas Charalambous ran well to place 7th in the 4 x 2km relay in a combined time of 34.20 minutes. Will led the team out well running 7.45 minutes for the first leg followed by Harrison who completed his leg in 8.03 minutes. Young Cameron ran his legs out to finish in 9.09 minutes and Lucas finished off for the team in 9.21 minutes.
In the Under 14 girls event, Ruby Marshall got the team going putting in the first lap in 8.21 minutes. Alisha Mustapic was next off the line running around the 2km course in 8.58 minutes. Hannah Brian completed the third leg in 8.39 minutes, a great effort after competing in her school athletics carnival the previous day and Bethany Dobson ran the final lap in 9.05 minutes; putting the Nowra team in 9th place in a combined time of 35.05 minutes.
The Under 16’s boy’s team ran the 4 x 3km event in a time of 45.27 minutes to place 7th. Alec Dobson set a good pace on the first leg running through in 10.44 minutes. Newcomer Nash Hay completed the second leg in 11.20 minutes followed by Lucas Johnson in 11.40 minutes. Running the final leg was Sam Maher who pushed hard to finish in 11.43 minutes.
Jade Mustapic led the Under 18 team out, running the 3km course in 12.11 minutes. Alexis Charalambous was the second runner, putting in 12.32 minutes for her leg. Ella Dyball demonstrated her increasing strength with a lap of 12.59 minutes and Chelsea Pascoe rounded off the relay leg with 13.34 minutes; culminating in 10th place in a combined time of 51.19 minutes.
The Under 20’s team was led out by Troy Whittington who set a cracking pace over the 3km in 9.11 minutes. Hugh Dobson was also fast off the mark with a 3km lap of 9.51 minutes. Max Buckham celebrated his birthday eve with a lap of the course in 10.36 minutes followed by Cooper Thomson who finished in 12.04 minutes. The team placed a very creditable 5th in 41.44 minutes.
Peter Dooley was our only senior representative this year, running the first leg of the 55+ 4km event. Peter kept pace with many of the open runners, finishing in 16.22 minutes.
Well done to all our runners and a thank you for participating with great sportsmanship and team spirit.